Can You Be Makeup Free?

We’ve all heard of Casual Fridays, a day some companies set aside to allow their employees a more laid back dress code. But have you heard of the new trend making its way around offices called Makeup Free Mondays? The online magazine, The Beauty Bean, started "the movement" aimed at encouraging women to embrace their inner beauty by tossing their makeup for one day every week.

Creator of the Beauty Bean, Alexis Wolfer, talks about how lots of women who participate in Makeup Free Mondays have written to her to say how liberated they feel after getting over the initial hump of not wearing makeup to work. Wolfer goes on to talk about how she and the women she works with have handled the makeup-less days, "we found ourselves apologizing for not wearing makeup, as if we were doing something wrong. We’re not, however, doing anything ’wrong’ and no one even seems to be noticing."

The idea that women have to wear makeup in our society in order to look professional has been instilled in us our whole lives, but why? Why do we feel the need to cover up wrinkles, lengthen our lashes, or darken our lips ever day of the week when men don’t? Do we do this for ourselves or the people around us? Makeup Free Mondays is a way for women to question and redefine the idea of what beauty really is all about.

If you feel like tossing the lipstick one day out of the week, the online magazine gives six ways to participate in Makeup Free Mondays. One way to participate and give back at the same time is to make a donation of unused, unopened makeup to some organizations like Dress For Success, that help women who don’t have the means to purchase clothing and cosmetics for job interviews.

What do you think of Makeup Free Mondays?

Is this something you might try at your place of work?

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its pretty interesting. I normally don't wear make up. only moisturizer and chap stick on my way to work. its very refreshing. i dont think i could bring this idea up to my workplace. the ladies i work with love thier make up! LOL

I am a make up free person most of the times...only on rare occassions like BIG events do i wear make up....I love the skin I am in:)) BUt to be make up free,u really need to take care of the break outs..so when i get 1,i just dab some concealer on tht 1 single spot.
Skin regime becomes very imp.
Besides,i n hot sweaty summers ,skin needs to breathe too,n its tough with all the make up..
so "Happy no make up day!! "
would luv to c every1 in their own skins...after all every1 is beautiful .

I think it depends on the person. For someone who will not walk out of their house without makeup this will seem ridiculous to them. They feel comfortable with makeup on. To them make-up is their cup of coffee, once they put it on they're ready to rule the world. For myself, I wear makeup but not too much so this will be a nice change especially if everyone else is doing it. I won't feel as if I stood out.

Thanks for the mention of Dress for Success, it is an excellent organization doing a lot of good, it also has locations world wide. I'm all for giving this a try. Though I do see a type of discrimination that goes on on no make up days vs make up days. Almost as though people feel you're lazy, or less than a professional...even though it's the same me with or without, bringing the same level of skills, education and dedication. Now this makes me wonder about those who do the judging... are they themselves using the makeup as a mask or a crutch to hide behind? Are they in the business of beauty and make their income from this? Or does it just make a person feel more beautiful enhancing their natural beauty to its fullest? Then it makes you question just "who" defines what beauty is, since it's different in every part of the world and culture. Makes one think or at least question, and isn't this what the article is about.

i use to not wear makeup and then i got into it when my husband deployed, it gave me something to do. i never wore makeup to work so it wouldn't have bothered me then but now is probably a different story. i never leave the house without at LEAST eyeliner, liquid lipstick, and eyeshadow! Its not a matter of that i think i look bad without it, it just makes me feel the best that i can me and if i feel good i look good!

It used to be I would not leave the house without makeup on. Even to the gas station! Now that I've gotten more mature, I usually just wear eyliner and masacara, and thats to work, to accentuate my eyes as I wear glasses. It takes too long to put all that "stuff" on and then you have to worry about if it smeared. I love going to the beach at any given moment, and boy oh boy, when your makeup smears!! I love the natural look much better! Wash your face, put moisturizer on with sunscreen...and out the door!